Coach Rob Orr's talented Tigers, are seeking their 15th overall Eastern championship and seventh under the veteran coach who's now guided Princeton for a quarter-century. The Tigers were led by sophomore sprinter Will Reinhard, who won the 50 free (pr 19.91) and also led off the winning 200 free relay (19.98).

Harvard seniors Rassan Grant (200 IM, pr 1:48.48) and Ricky Roy (1 meter diving) were victorious for the Crimson as was its 400 medley relay team, to keep the visitors within striking distance. Harvard is after its eighth conference crown in the last 10 years.

Princeton opened with a 1:20.32 NCAA-consideration clocking 200 free relay win, with Reinhard's leadoff leg fastest of the race. Harvard was third in what was the home team's sole victory.

Next up was the 500 free where Cornell freshman Mark Smit edged Princeton senior (and Peruvian Olympian) Juan Valdivieso, 4:23.94-45:25.73. Princeton also scored two other swimmers in the championship final with a fourth and seventh.

In the 200 IM, Harvard's Grant held off Columbia's fast-closing Ben Collins by a 1:48.48-1:48.84 margin. Both times are also consideration cuts. Roy won the 1-meter diving with a score of 333.6 narrowly edging Danil Rybalko to take the win;. and Harvard closed out the night with a victory by the 400 medley relay team of David Cromwell, Grant, Ryan Smith and Knepley winning in an 3:13.98 — within striking distance of the EISL record of 3:13.63 by Princeton from last year's meet.

Harvard's time also broke Tennessee's pool-record of 3:14.75 from four years ago, and that team included 46+ backstroker Michael Gilliam, formerly SEC 100 record-holder.

Cromwell, a sophomore who already had reduced his 100 back pr from 49+ to 48.68 earlier in the season, further cut it to 47.51 leading off. That swim ranks Cromwell No. 2all-time on both the Harvard and EISL charts. Only Seoul Olympic 100 back silver-medalist David Berkoff's 47.02 from the 1989 NCAAs is faster. Grant's contribution was a quick 53.52 breaststroke leg.

Princeton and Harvard swimmers were the sole event winners in the 2003 EISLs, but a new team has already stood atop the victory podium. Cornell rookie Smit cracked the inner-circle with his 500 free victory and he may well get more gold before the splashing's completed Saturday evening.